Music
The music and food festival Garden Party will be held for the first time at Þróttara í Laugardal (Þróttari’s grass bale in Laugardalur) on 14 August. The area opens at 12.00 and closes at 21.30 The festival is intended as a small town festival for Reykjavík where the whole family can get together and have fun in a safe and warm environment. The model is a town festival that is common in many parts of Europe, where a variety of entertainment for all generations is enjoyed. Many of the nation’s leading musicians will perform at the festival. Those who have confirmed their arrival are: Bubbi, Briet, Frðrik Dór, GDNR, Hipsumhaps, Sigrún Stella, Emmsjé Gauti In addition to famous secret visitors and possibly more will be added in the coming days. Food trolleys from Reykjavík Streetfood ensure a diverse selection of food as well as great grill masters. The longest bar in Iceland guarantees everyone ice-cold roads and finally there will be a great Champagne Tent where bubbles of all shapes and sizes will be on offer. Playgrounds and entertainment will be on site for the youngest guests. The age limit is 18 years unless accompanied by an adult.
Reykjavík Jazz and Jómfrúin Lækjargötu join forces and present the opening concert of Reykjavík Jazz Festival 2021 on Saturday 28th of August. Stefán S. Stefánsson has been, and still is, an influential figure on the Icelandic jazz scene with a successful career that has spanned decades. This year his daughter, jazz/soul singer Una Stef, will perform a part of her father’s catalogue. Accompanied by leading Icelandic jazz musicians they will bust out some swinging tunes that travel through time, genres and generations. Una Stef : vocals Stefán S. Stefánsson : saxophone, flute Vignir Þór Stefánsson :piano Gunnar Hrafnsson : bass Einar Valur Scheving : drums
Oddrun LILJA has been recognised as an authentic, exciting and virtuos guitarist and composer from the Norwegian jazz scene. In addition to her world wide touring with recognised bands as Bugge Wesseltoft’s New Conception of Jazz, Frode Haltli’s Avant Folk, and Moksha, she has travelled to perform with traditional musicians all over the world. Inspired by these journeys, LILJA is releasing her debut solo album “Marble” on Jazzland recordings in September 2020. The album consists of ten pieces, named after the cities she has visited. It features a star team of musicians, including Sanne Rambags (vocal), Bugge Wesseltoft (piano), Jo Skaansar (bass), Helge Norbakken (percussion) and guest artists from Pakistan, Kenya, Morocco and Lebanon. Oddrún Lilja Jónsdóttir (NO/IS) : guitar / voice Sanne Rambags (NL) : voice Sunna Gunnlaugsdóttir (IS) : piano Jo Skaansar (NO) : bass / voice Erik Qvick (SE/IS) : drums
“Kathrine Windfeld is a rising star on the European jazz scene, not least for her bold writing for her adventurous big band” – Jazzwise Magazine (UK) The Guardian (UK) describes Kathrine Windfeld‘s compositions as a rare combination of delicacy and strength: A colorful meeting of sophisticated harmonic passages, driving grooves and poetic ballads that float into her explosive arrangements. With her highly acclaimed three big band releases AIRCRAFT (2015), LATENCY (2017) and the recent ORCA (2020), Kathrine Windfeld ś name has quickly exceeded the borders of her Scandinavian home, leading to countless awards and raving reviews in international publications like Downbeat (USA), Le Monde (F) and Jazzthing (DE). Windfeld’s handpicked dream team of young Scandinavian and Polish musicians effortlessly combine playful precision with enthusiastic power. The horn section offers a delicate blend of strong individual voices in tight and sharp ensemble playing bursting into breathtaking solo spots. Bass player Johannes Vaht and drummer Henrik Holst Hansen (members of Kathrine Windfeld Big Band since 2014), always deliver an intense performance with precision and creativity. In addition to touring with her own ensembles, Kathrine Windfeld has collaborated with top class orchestras like the Danish Radio Big Band (DK), Frankfurt Radio Big Band […]
Founded in 2017 to distil a murky blend of jazz and electronic music, hist og is a trio featuring Eiríkur Orri Ólafsson on trumpet and electronics, Róbert Sturla Reynisson on guitar, bass and synth, and Magnús Trygvason Eliassen on drums and percussion. Through the lens of their shared musical language, they explore a Day-Glo lit ruminative world of improvisation, jazz and electronic music. hist og has released two albums, Days of Tundra (2019) and hits of (2020). Both records received wide praise, harvesting three nominations to the Icelandic Music Awards in both 2020 and 2021, a seat on the venerated Kraumur list in 2019 and was named “Improv of the year” by Morgunblaðið the same year. Music critic Arnar Eggert Thoroddsen wrote “smashing stuff … every song is rigidly stamped by the seal of this super-trio.” The members of hist og have worked with countless outfits over the years, such as múm, Sin Fang, amiina, Sigur Rós, Kira Kira, Seabear and others. They have also collaborated with supreme jazz entities such as ADHD, Hilmar Jensson, Skúli Sverrisson and Mógil. Eiríkur Orri Ólafsson (IS) : trumpet / electronics Róbert Sturla Reynisson (IS) : guitar / bass / synth Magnús Trygvason Eliassen […]
Reykjavík Jazz and Center Hotels invite you to a Jazz brunch at Jörgensen Kitchen & Bar. Book your table here! Tendra’s music is best described as warmish and embracing singer-songwriter jazz, with a gentle hint of pop-ish spices. The lyrics are mostly in Icelandic, which is often thought to be a very vivid, storytelling language. Tendra’s debut album, also named Tendra, was released by Icelandic record label Smekkleysa, in November 2020, and has received splendid reviews. Tendra was born in the beginning of 2020. The band consists of guitarist and composer Mikael Máni Ásmundsson and vocalist and singer-songwriter Marína Ósk Þórólfsdóttir. They’ll be joined on stage by bass player Ingibjörg Elsa Turchi, keyboardist and singer Steingrímur Teague and drummer Svanhildur Lóa Bergsveinsdóttir. At the concert, Tendra will play music from their first album, as well as new songs and arrangements.
Stína Ágústsdóttir is one of Iceland’s favorite jazz singers, who was nominated as artist of the year at this year’s Icelandic music awards. She has released albums such as Jazz á Íslensku (2016), Hjörtun okkar jóla (2019), The Whale (2021), that have all received rave reviews. Stina is currently residing in Stockholm, Sweden and has in the last few years worked with some of the country’s foremost musicians. For this occasion, she’s joining bass wonder Henrik Linder (Dirty Loops) and the brilliant pianist Joel Lyssarides. Together they create a powerful trio that is able to really play around with the music and take the audience on a trip to a new and exciting universe of sound. The trio will be playing a mix of original music, jazz standards and pop tunes in new arrangements. Stína Ágústsdóttir (IS) : voice Henrik Linder (SE) : bass Joel Lyssarides (SE) : piano / keyboards
Comprising four long-term collaborators and friends (thus the ‘family’ tag), the band takes as its starting point the freewheeling music of those musicians who, back in the 1960s, were at the forefront of the free jazz revolution, but whose opening up of jazz’s constraints is now recognised as not a break from the past but an integral part of the music’s development. So the Family Band doesn’t recreate the work of Ornette Coleman and others, but shares its powerful and freewheeling momentum – moments of fierce intensity, introspection and the blues all combining into an emotionally complex and often cathartic whole. ‘One of the best modern jazz groups performing at the moment’ – Bebop Spoken Here ‘You simply HAVE to get to see them – you won’t be disappointed’ – Martin Powell, JATP ‘They were fantastic’ – Chris Philips, JazzFM ‘What a revelation – exciting group, gradually revealing more and more depth and thrilling the audience to the very end’ – Blow The Fuse, The Vortex Kim Macari (UK) : trumpet Riley Stone-Lonergan (IE) : tenor saxophone Tom Rivière (UK) : double bass Steve Hanley (UK) : drums
Guitarist Gudmundur Petursson plays a solo recital at Reykjavík Jazz 2021. It features work from his albums along with a new set of pieces based on Reykjavík and it’s neighbourhoods. The music can be defined is a jazz oriented post-genre, where elements of kraut, prog, alt-rock, modern classical and ethno-blues might occur. Gudmundur has shared the stage with diverse artists such as Pinetop Perkins, Erlend Oye and Pattie Smith, as well as working on hundreds of albums. He has released the albums Ologies, Elabórat, Sensus (2008-2015) and Concerto for Electric Guitar and Orchestra (2019). Gudmundur has also written compositions for SinfoNord, Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra and Reykjavík Big Band. Gudmundur has received the Icelandic Music Awards several times as a guitarist and composer.
The guitarist Hróðmar Sigurðsson (IS) graduated from the FÍH Music School in 2017. Since then he has worked as a musician and played music with various musicians in all genres e.g. Ife Tolentino, Elísabet Ormslev, Teitur Magnússon, Elísabet Eyþórsdóttir, Ingibjörg Turchi and others. He has also played in bands in shows in theaters. Since the year 2020, Hróðmar has operated his band which consists of active musicians in the Icelandic music scene and has performed in Mengi and Bryggjujazz. Songs and arrangements are in Hróðmar’s hands, but with the band a world of sound has developed that revolves around the electric guitar and neatly intertwined brass arrangements and you can hear inspiration from various musical genres. The concert at Jazzhátíð Reykjavíkur is the release concert of Hróðmar’s first album and it is released by Reykjavik Record Shop. The album was recorded in Sundlaugin studio in spring and autumn of 2020, Birgir Jón Birgisson was in charge of recording, Kjartan Kjartansson mixed and mastered and the album cover was designed by Þórdís Erla Zoega. Hróðmar Sigurðsson : electric guitar Ingibjörg Elsa Turchi : electric bass Magnús Jóhann Ragnarsson : hammond organ / keyboard Magnús Trygvason Eliassen : drums Kristofer Rodriguez Svönuson […]
Ludvig Kári Quartet returns to Reykjavík Jazz Festival 2021 with Rákir (Contrails), a new cd packed with original jazz fusion compositions inspired by jet contrails in the northern toposphere. The quartet comprises some of Iceland´s finest jazz musicians together and will perform material from the new CD as well as even newer compositions at the festival. The quartet performed previously at the Reykjavík Jazz Festival in 2019 to a great reception. Ludvig Kári Forberg (IS) : vibraphone Phil Doyle (US) : saxophones Stefán Ingólfsson (IS) : bass Einar Scheving (IS) : drums
Edda started performing professionally in 1980 as a singer and piano player in various projects. Twice in the Eurovision finals, in a very popular group Model in the 80´s and had her own Jazz ensemble during those early years and on. Edda founded her own music school Tónskóli Eddu Borg in 1989 and runs it to this day. Edda takes the stage now on the Reykjavik Jazz Festival and performs her own composition derived from her training as a classical pianist and inspired by her love for Smooth Jazz. For this concert Edda has put together a tight band of excellent musicians including Agnar Már Magnússon on keyboards, Benedikt Brynleifsson on drums, Bjarni Sveinbjornsson on bass and Friðrik Karlsson on guitars. Together they will play material from Edda’s previous albums New Suit (2019) and No Words Needed (2015) and don’t be surprised if they pull a new tune or two out of the hat. Edda Borg : piano Bjarni Sveinbjörnsson : bass Friðrik Karlsson : guitar Agnar Már Magnússon : keyboards Benedikt Brynleifsson : drums
“Hagi” – Release concert at Reykjavík Jazz 2021 Bassist Þorgrímur Toggi Jónsson presents a new album, Hagi, recorded with his newly formed quartet. Thoghtful and melodic compositions are at the forefront showcasing the strenght of the band. Toggi has received numerous awards and nominations for his music and performances in recent years. His first solo record, Constant Movement, received the Icelandic Music Awards as the jazz album of the year. The quartet has some of the best musicians of today‘s Icelandic music scene and includes Rögnvaldur Borgþórsson on guitar, Magnús Trygvason Elíassen on drums and Tómas Jónsson on piano. Þorgrímur Jónsson : double bass / electric bass Rögnvaldur Borgþórsson : guitar Magnús Trygvason Eliassen : drums Tómas Jónsson : piano / keyboards
Rósa Guðrún Sveinsdóttir, saxophonist and singer/songwriter, released her debut album in 2014 called Strengur Stranda. The album is a collaboration with her father, Sveinn Kristinsson, who wrote the lyrics. The music and lyrics are influenced by nature and the peaceful ambiance in the remote West fjords Iceland where her family has a second home. Rósa wrote many of the songs with the arrangements for string quartett in mind and has now composed a new series of songs. Rósa has joined forces with Siggi String Quartet, comprised of violinists Una Sveinbjarnardóttir and Helga Þóra Björgvinsdóttir, viola player Þórunn Ósk Marinósdóttir and cellist Sigurður Bjarki Gunnarsson. They are all instrumentalists in the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and have worked together as a quartet since 2012. They won the Icelandic Music Award 2018 and were nominated as the performer of the year at the Icelandic Music Awards 2019. Along side Rósa and the string quartet will be guitarist Daníel Helgason, Matthías M.D. Hemstock percussionist, and Birgir Steinn Theodórsson bassist. Rósa Guðrún Sveinsdóttir : voice / saxophone Daníel Helgason : guitar Birgir Steinn Theodórsson : bass Matthías M.D. Hemstock : drums / percussion Una Sveinbjarnardóttir : violin Helga Þóra Björgvinsdóttir : violin Þórunn Ósk Marinósdóttir […]
DJÄSS was formed in 2010 by Karl Olgeirsson (piano), Kristinn Snær Agnarsson (drums), and Jón Rafnsson (bass). Its first 10 years together, the trio performed under the name Hot Eskimos. They made a name for themselves with their jazz arrangements of Icelandic rock, punk, and pop music. These were the kinds of songs on their first CD “Songs From the Top of the World” (2011). Critics gave it top reviews. This disc is now also available on vinyl. Their second CD “We ride Polar Bears” (2013) struck a new note. In addition to Icelandic songs, you can also listen to several original and foreign songs. DJÄSS has now finished a new record. Most of it is original material. Its release will be in October 2021. At this concert the trio will mostly perform material on this soon-to-be-released record, entitled “DJÄSS”. Karl Olgeirsson : piano Jón Rafnsson : bass Kristinn Snær Agnarsson : drums
Anna Gréta Sigurðardóttir was born and raised in Iceland but has been based in Stockholm, Sweden since 2014. She recently performed at the Nobel Prize Ceremony in 2020 as well as playing a featured concert at Stockholm Concert Hall in March. Since relocating to Stockholm, Anna Gréta has collaborated with some of Sweden’s finest jazz musicians such as Max Schultz, Joakim Milder, Magnus Lindgren, and Susanna Risberg and she’s had music commissioned for Norrbotten Big Band and the world renowned pianist Bobo Stenson. In recent years Anna Gréta has received numerous awards and nominations in both Sweden and Iceland, including the prestigious Monica Zetterlund award in 2019, Friends of Fasching award in 2018, Best Newcomer at the Icelandic music prize in 2015, nomination by the Swedish National Radio for Jazzkatten in 2019 and two nominations for the Icelandic Music Prize in 2019. Anna Gréta is presently among Scandinavia’s fastest-rising young jazz musicians. Her debut album as a solo artist will be released in January 2022 and features some of Iceland’s most prominent jazz musicians. For the Reykjavik Jazz Festival 2021 Anna Gréta will be performing with her trio consisting of Einar Scheving on drums and Johan Tengholm on double bass. […]
Reykjavík Jazz welcomes 2020 Grammy nominee Ambrose Akinmusire Quartet (BEST JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM: On The Tender Spot Of Every Calloused Moment) to the stage in Harpa on September 1st. During his 15-year career, Ambrose Akinmusire has paradoxically situated himself in both the center and the periphery of jazz, most recently emerging in classical and hip hop circles. He’s on a perpetual quest for new paradigms, masterfully weaving inspiration from other genres, arts, and life in general into compositions that are as poetic and graceful as they are bold and unflinching. His unorthodox approach to sound and composition make him a regular on critics polls and have earned him earned him grants and commissions from the Doris Duke Foundation, the MAP Fund, the Kennedy Center and the Monterey Jazz Festival. While Akinmusire continues to garner accolades, his reach is always beyond—himself, his instrument, genre, form, preconceived notions, and anything else imposing limitations. Motivated primarily by the spiritual and practical value of art, Akinmusire wants to remove the wall of erudition surrounding his music. He aspires to create richly textured emotional landscapes that tell the stories of the community, record the time, and change the standard. While committed to continuing the lineage […]
The band, Blúsmenn Andreu (Andrea‘s Bluesmen), with vocalist Andrea Gylfadóttir at the forefront, has been playing since 1989. The band is well known by jazz and blues lovers in Iceland and its concerts are well attended. Alongside Andrea is a group of prominent musicians: Guðmundur Pétursson- Guitar, Einar Rúnarsson- Hammond Organ, Jóhann Hjörleifsson- Drums and Haraldur Þorsteinsson- Bass. The band has released two LP‘s: Andrea og Blúsmenn (1998) and Rain on me rain (2011) in where you can find a blend of jazz, blues and soul standards, mostly from the first part of last century, plus a few original songs by Andrea. Andrea Gylfadóttir’s celebrated interpretation of the music of Billie Holiday is always well received. In this concert, the focus is on Billie’s songs plus a few others arranged by Blúsmenn Andreu. Andrea Gylfadóttir : voice Einar Rúnarsson : hanmond organ Guðmundur Pétursson : guitar Haraldur Þorsteinsson : bass Jóhann Hjörleifsson : drums
Baroque Jazz – An Improvisational Rendezvous In this concert two music genres collide; Jazz and Baroque. It gives the audience, as well as the musicians, a unique opportunity to enjoy and explore well known pieces of the Baroque era in a new and experimental context. The repertoire includes the most magical music by composers such as Bach, Pergolesi, Handel, Purcell and more. Kristjana Stefánsdóttir : vocals Þórhildur Örvarsdóttir : vocals Kjartan Valdemarsson : piano Eyþór Ingi Jónsson : organ Þorgrímur Jónsson : bass Pétur Grétarsson : percussion
Classical Magic of Eastern Europe Today’s Icelanders are usually connected to the region of Central- and Eastern Europe through many personal connections because of their work, holidays, families, studies and friends. So did the Icelanders in the recent centuries. Furthermore, the musical and cultural heritage of the Central-Europe has played a surprisingly big role in the cultural life and musical education of Iceland. Great composers, choir and orchestral conductors such as Franz Mixa, Peter Urbantschitsch and Carl Billich are highlighting the strong connection between the two regions. In this concert we focus on the roots of the musical culture of Central-Europe. Our program consists of songs, arias, cello and piano pieces, duos, trios and folk music from Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Poland and Russia. The pieces were written by great and well-known classical composers such as Dvorak, Strauss, Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninov but also less-known and very special composers like Anton Benda and Jan Kritek Vanhal. Performers: Bernadett Hegyi, Hungarian coloratura soprano. She is one of the greatest new talents in classical singing, with her astonishingly high acrobatic notes. Together with Márton Wirth, she formed the ensemble Opera2gether. Márton Wirth, composer and conductor. Organist at Landakotskirkja and a conductor of Skátakórinn, also going […]
Iceland Airwaves Festival is the world’s most northerly music showcase and industry festival, situated halfway between North America and Europe. Iceland Airwaves brings together the country’s brightest emerging musical talent and forward-thinking international acts. Each November for four days and nights, downtown Reykjavík comes alive, filled non-stop with music, with performances hosted everywhere from tiny record stores and art museums, to cool bars and stately churches, to nightclubs and large scale venues. Lineup so far: ADHD – Andavald – Andy Svarthol – Any Other – Aragrúi – Arlo Parks – Aron Can – Ásta – Axel Flóvent – Balming Tiger – Bartees Strange – Benni Hemm Hemm – Black Pumas – BSÍ – Bríet – Cell7 – CHLOBOCOP – Countess Malaise – Crack Cloud – Daði Freyr – Daughters of Reykjavík – Denise Chaila – dj. flugvél og geimskip – Dry Cleaning – Eydís Evensen – Faux Real – Francis of Delirium – GDRN – GRÓA – gugusar – Halldór Eldjárn – Hipsumhaps – Holdgervlar – Inspector Spacetime – ISÁK – Júníus Meyvant – Kælan Mikla – KAMARA – Karina – kef LAVÍK – KeiyaA – Kiriyama Family – KLEIN – K.óla – Kristin Sesselja – Krummi – Laufey – […]